Michael Tolliver Lives

Yes, all the surviving Tales of the City characters make an appearance in this wonderful book--but, no, this is not a sequel. Armistead Maupin trades in his epic storytelling style for a more personal approach. The result is an introspective audiobook about aging in America, sometimes hilarious, sometimes wistful. The perspective is through the eyes of the title character (known to his Tales buddies as Mouse), a 50-something San Franciscan seesawing between his family in the South and his friends in the city. The author's soft Southern accent, true to Mouse's roots, warms the narration. The diverse characters in this story--including a hairdresser in military camouflage and a pair of gay Bible-toting rednecks--are portrayed with honesty and compassion. R.W.S. 2008 Audies Finalist (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Starred review from March 26, 2007
Maupin denies that this is a seventh volume of his beloved Tales of the City
, but—happily—that's exactly what it is, with style and invention galore. When we left the residents of 28 Barbary Lane, it was 1989, and Michael "Mouse" Tolliver was coping with the supposed death sentence of HIV. Now, improved drug cocktails have given him a new life, while regular shots of testosterone and doses of Viagra allow him a rich and inventive sex life with a new boyfriend, Ben, "twenty-one years younger than I am—an entire adult younger, if you must insist on looking at it that way." Number 28 Barbary Lane itself is no more, but its former tenants are doing well, for the most part, in diaspora. Michael's best friend, ladies' man Brian Hawkins, is back, and unprepared for his grown daughter, Shawna, a pansexual it-girl journalist à la Michelle Tea, to leave for a New York career. Mrs. Madrigal, the transsexual landlady, is still radiant and mysterious at age 85. Maupin introduces a dazzling variety of real-life reference points, but the story belongs to Mouse, whose chartings of the transgressive, multigendered sex trends of San Francisco are every bit as lovable as Mouse's original wet jockey shorts contest in the very first Tales
, back in 1978.

Starred review from April 15, 2007
Maupin revisits his beloved "Tales of the City" series in this novel focused on central character Michael Tolliver. While other names and faces from "Tales" appear, this story is about Michael, now in his mid-fifties (despite AIDS) and happy in his relationship, his house, and his job. Credit Maupin for making such a fortunate character likable and interesting, but Michael is confronting mortality and seeing the age in himself and everyone around him. His mother's illness creates an opportunity for him to return to Florida and connect with his biological family, while his San Francisco family faces challenges of its own, including new additions and worries about the frailty of Anna Madrigal, now in her eighties. Additional charm comes from Maupin's loving portrayal of San Francisco as a special oasis, despite the dot-com invasion and high housing prices. An affirmation of growing older and wiser that gives hope to those trying to appreciate what they have while staying true to themselves, this novel is a graceful coda to the series. Recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 3/15/07.]Devon Thomas, DevIndexing, Chelsea, MI

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